Unless Manny Pacquiao falls ill during training camp and becomes lethargic in the days leading up to his May 2 date with Ricky Hatton, there?s no stopping oddsmakers from installing the Filipino pound-for-pound king as the favorite over the British bomber.
Owing to his sensational showing against Oscar De La Hoya last December, Pacquiao has been installed a -215 favorite ? meaning a $ 215 bet on Pacquiao wins only $ 100.
Hatton, who is risking his lightly-regarded International Boxing Organization super-lightweight (140 lbs) crown either at 19,000-seat Thomas and Mack Center or 15,000-seat MGM Grand ? both in Las Vegas ? is at +185 (A $ 100 wager on Hatton wins $ 185).
The figures were released by the Las Vegas Hilton, according to Jeff Haney, the man on the boxing beat for the Las Vegas Sun.
So explosive is the matchup that it?s -140 “that the scheduled 12-rounder will last at least until the 1:30 mark of the 10th round,” Haney wrote. “It?s +120 the fight will end before the 1:30 of round 10.”
Last time Pacquiao fought, he was a 2-1 underdog against the Golden Boy but Pacquiao electrified the boxing world with a trouble-free eighth-round stoppage, a win that the 30-year-old former bakery helper and construction worker has ranked at the summit among his long list of spectacular conquests.
No contracts have been signed for the May 2 event but the promoters ? Bob Arum?s Top Rank and the De La Hoya-owned Golden Boy Promotions ? believe it?s just a matter of time before a formal announcement is made.
Both Pacquiao and Hatton are still on vacation mode with the former making the most out of his final days in Los Angeles, while the latter is enjoying his free time in a tour of England and Wales for a series of comedy stage shows.
Pacquiao plans to report for training at the Wild Card in Hollywood on March 1, upon the conclusion of a three-city US press tour in late-February. Actually a tour of London and Manchester will kick off the promotional tour later this month.
Hatton, according to his agent Paul Speak, will begin light training in February but should start heavy training once he gets reunited with chief trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr. in March.
Mayweather believes Hatton has the firepower to stop Pacquiao?s amazing winning streak over the big-named boxers.
This is also the belief of Freddie Roach, who predicts that Pacquiao, using his speed and footwork, will take the sting out of the rugged Hatton in the late rounds, just like what he did to De La Hoya.
